Archives for June 2006

‘Limited seats are available for the Sept. 24 home opener against the New York Jets, Oct. 1 against Minnesota, Oct. 22 against New England and Nov. 5 against Green Bay.’

‘The Bills announced that fans will be able to purchase individual game tickets for 2006 home games starting on Saturday, July 15 at 9:00 AM. Tickets will be available in person at the Ralph Wilson Stadium ticket office, The Bills Store in Eastview Mall, and at all Ticketmaster outlets.’

‘"He’s a size and speed prospect," said Bills Assistant GM Tom Modrak. "He comes from a big program and has some cover skills. He played behind some real good players there."’

‘Certainly, Bills fans are hoping Vincent stays in, since it would likely mean that their team is experiencing success. If the season goes the way many are expecting it to, however, Vincent’s days in Buffalo’s starting lineup will likely be numbered as early as this fall.’

‘”They always say patience is a virtue, and I think I’ve been patient enough,” he said. “My hard work is going to pay off.”‘

‘”I think we’re all prideful men with a lot of bottled up energy and we want to show the coaches what we can do,” Vincent said. “But you don’t win games in T-shirts and shorts and helmets. And if players don’t enforce the rules, nobody will.”‘

‘”I want to do better than I did last year, so there’s always something to prove,” said McGahee, who’s also motivated by the prospect of a contract extension. He has two years to go on his rookie deal that was laden with incentives coming off a bad college knee injury and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has been in talks with the Bills’ front office.’

‘Jauron said he won’t set a timetable on picking his starting QB but sooner would be nicer than later.’

‘FS Troy Vincent on coach Dick Jauron: “In my 14 years, I’m seeing and hearing things that you’re not accustomed to hearing. Usually it’s two-a-day practices and all of that stuff. This coach is allowing players to be men. That’s not this era. But you’ve got a guy who has seen it and done it the other way, and now is really fine with doing it his way. I’m sure as a coach, he’s motivated and if he’s going to do down, he’s going to go down doing it his way.”‘

‘LT Mike Gandy is solid, but hardly an elite talent. RT Jason Peters is a former tight end who is raw, but has tremendous athleticism and upside. Besides Aaron Gibson, who is trying to resuscitate his career, depth is thin.’

‘"In terms of attitude and work ethic and the approach you needed to have to be successful, he was the biggest example for me," said Preston. "He told me what it was going to take aside from the techniques and x’s and o’s."’

‘"I was painting the deck at our house in Buffalo," said Euhus, a former football and basketball star at Churchill High School in Eugene. "There were some 10 missed calls on the phone, half I knew who called and half I didn’t. There were calls from my agent, from the Bills’ director of player personnel and the Bills’ general manager. I thought I must’ve been cut. Then my agent called again and asked me how it felt to be a New Orleans Saint."’

‘The Bills have had one winning season in the 21st century. That statement, more than any other, explains why the Bills are where they are right now. Two seasons removed from a 9-7 stint, the team’s only winning campaign in the last six years, folks in Buffalo are in year one of a complete and major overhaul that reaches nearly every corner of the Bills’ football operation. Former head coach Marv Levy has returned as the General Manager/Director of Football Operations, and he and new head coach Dick Jauron have set a new course for the organization, one that has already included a great deal of change in Buffalo, and Jauron knows the coming months may not be easy.’

‘When Marv Levy was hired as general manager, he was blunt in his assessment of the Bills’ offensive line in 2005. “We simply were not good enough,” he said. “I don’t care what kind of quarterback you are, if you’re not getting the protection you’re not going to be able to function. The generals aren’t going to be great unless the soldier in the trenches is pretty darn effective creating opportunities for them to be successful.”‘

‘The only question was whether they had come to see the player or the artist. “I have no clue, but as long as they pick up a poster or T-shirt while they’re here, that would be nice,” he said.’